Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

George Benjamin’s Musical Connections

Donald Macleod is joined by Sir George Benjamin to discuss his musical influences.

In the first of this week's programmes exploring the music of Sir George Benjamin, Donald Macleod is joined by the composer to discuss his musical influences and teachers.

Composer of the Week marks the sixtieth birthday of the celebrated British composer Sir George Benjamin. All this week Benjamin joins Donald Macleod in the studio to provide listeners with personal insights into his music and distinguished career. They discuss the composer's musical connections, his inspirations, his interest in collaboration, the compositional process, and his work as a pianist, conductor and teacher.

One of the first composers whose music George Benjamin felt a particular connection with was Beethoven. In 1975 he met Olivier Messiaen who took Benjamin under his wing, and from there his trajectory as a composer became firmly established. While studying with Messiaen in Paris, Benjamin not only took piano lessons with his teacher's second wife, Yvonne Loriod, but he also met some of the most significant composers of the 20th century: Iannis Xenakis, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. Boulez would become a significant early influence upon Benjamin and his music, through a period of study at the Institute for Music and Acoustic Research and Coordination established by Boulez.

Viola, Viola
Tabea Zimmermann, viola
Antoine Tamestit, viola

Piano Sonata (Vivace)
George Benjamin, piano

Palimpsests
Ensemble Moderne Orchestra
George Benjamin, conductor

Written on Skin (XIV & XV The Protector of Agnès & The Boy / Angel 1)
Christopher Purves (Protector), baritone
Barbara Hannigan (Agnès), soprano
Bejun Mehta (Angel 1), countertenor
Mahler Chamber Orchestra,
George Benjamin, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales.

Photo credit: Matthew Lloyd

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 7 Dec 2020 12:00

Music Played

  • Sir George Benjamin

    Viola, Viola

    Performer: Tabea Zimmermann. Performer: Antoine Tamestit.
    • NIMBUS : NI-5713.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 7.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Piano Sonata (1st mvt)

    Performer: Sir George Benjamin.
    • NIMBUS : NI5713.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 11.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Palimpsest

    Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra. Conductor: Sir George Benjamin.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Written On Skin - The Protector of Agnès & The Boy

    Singer: Christopher Purves. Singer: Barbara Hannigan. Singer: Bejun Mehta.
    • NIMBUS : NI58856.
    • Nimbus.
    • 4.

Broadcast

  • Mon 7 Dec 2020 12:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.